On Elba Island with children: the beaches and more

Elba is one of the most beautiful islands in Tuscany for its beaches, nature and history. The island offers many activities for all families spending a beach vacation there. Between taking a dip and visiting museums, children can spend fun days.
But what are the most beautiful beaches on the island of Elba for children?
We asked Silvia, mom of the Its4kids group expert on the island of Elba.

Depending on the wind it may be advisable to change beaches. In this very useful beach map where you can see the recommended beaches depending on the wind.

See also: Family Hotels and villages in Elba for children

Sansone beach near Portoferraio

Portoferraio the gateway to the Island of Elba

Anyone arriving on Elba Island by ferry disembarks in Portoferraio, the island's most populous town.
Portoferraio is a lively town, full of stores and all amenities. Portoferraio's historic center comes alive in the evening with music and clubs, with ice cream parlors and excellent restaurants where you can enjoy traditional seafood dishes.
Interesting to visit is Napoleon's residence, in which he lived during his exile.

Near Portoferraio there are beautiful beaches with white pebbles, clear water and lots of fish:

• LeGhiaie Beach who would ever say that a very short distance from the marina there is a beautiful beach? The beach is white pebbles, the water really clear and the sea is full of colorful fish. Le Ghiaie is perfect for kids who like to mask-watch the marine life.
• Capo Bianco beach, enclosed between completely white rock spurs that give a particular coloring to the coast as if it were made of snow
• Sansone beach reachable only on foot with a walk of about fifteen minutes, but with really transparent water, perfect for children who love to discover marine life, armed with mask and snorkel!

For seabed enthusiasts, there is a chance to try a scuba dive accompanied by experts.
The experience is open to absolute beginners, adults and children at least 8 years old.

Or one snorkeling tour in the Nature Reserve.
The experience is open to absolute beginners, adults and children at least 6 years old who know how to swim.

The beach of Capo Bianco

Enfola beach

This is a small peninsula joined to the rest of the island by a thin but suggestive isthmus that has one of the most beautiful beaches on the island of Elba as well as one of the few with pebbles.
Enfola beach is the subject of so many photos, as some beautiful towns on the island can be seen. Also near the beach is an old tuna fishery that is now the administrative headquarters of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park.

The beach of Enfola

Procchio beach

On the slopes of Monte Capanne is Procchio, in the municipality of Marciana Marina, which has one of the largest beaches on the island (almost 1 km) where there are numerous bathing establishments that, in addition to deck chairs and umbrellas, rent pedal boats or canoes, and for the more adventurous, sailing and diving courses are available.
The beach at Procchio is also ideal for children who cannot swim, because the seabed slopes gently and touches for a few meters.
Restaurants near the beach offer excellent meals for families intent on spending all day at the beach.
In Procchio, amphorae from a Roman ship were found, still intact and preserved in the archaeological museum in Marciana Marina.

In Procchio there are numerous parking spaces almost all of which are paid and convenient just behind the beach.

The beach of Procchio

Marciana Marina and Marciana

Marciana Marina is the smallest municipality on the island and is washed by the Ligurian Sea; here you can dive into the "Marina," the beach in the center of the gulf, next to the historic Cotone district, or you can stroll along the seafront promenade, up to the Port Tower.
Continuing inland you will reach Marciana, located on a ridge on the northern slope of Monte Capanne,
Marciana is one of the most interesting towns on the island: visit the Fortezza Pisana, used as a museum of medieval weapons.
Once in Marciana, it is a must to take the cable car that will take you to the top of Monte Capanne, the highest on the island, from which you can enjoy breathtaking views.

View from Monte Capanne

The Rio Marina Mining Park

The municipality of Rio nell'Elba, of which Rio Marina is the capital, is the closest to the mainland and for this reason has been the most active commercial hub on the island, especially in the mining sector.
The largest number of deposits and mines on the entire island (now disused) is concentrated in Rio Marina, and if you are near this town, a visit to the Mining Park is a must!
The visit starts right in the Rio Marina museum, and then moves by a small train through the ancient mining paths.
There is no gift store at the end of the trail, as the gift store is nature itself! During the tour, it will be possible to stop for photos and to search for ore samples, such as pyrite and hematite, to keep as souvenirs! It will certainly be an unforgettable experience for children, who will be able to look for minerals as miners did long ago.
Ferries depart from Rio Marina to the beautiful island of Pianosa.
The municipality of Rio Marina has a beautiful pedestrian zone, which allows children and parents with strollers to move around easily, and this is one of the reasons why it, along with Procchio, presents itself as one of the most suitable locations for accommodating families.

Porto Azzurro

Leaving Portoferraio, and continuing south, you arrive at Porto Azzurro, a beautiful town that has a renowned marina that hosts both yachts and fishing boats and a large number of free or equipped beaches.
The promenade along the waterfront, from which you can admire the sunset while enjoying a good ice cream, is characteristic.
To visit in Porto Azzurro The small mine a very special mineral museum, fun and engaging for children: the visit is made on a small train that goes through the inside of the mine and shows The various aspects of a miner's life.
At the end of the visit, there are also workshops in which all the processing an ore needs is explained.

Porto Azzurro on Elba Island

Capoliveri

Capoliveri, one of the eight municipalities on the Island of Elba, is set against the promontory of the same name.
Capoliveri is an excellent starting point for hiking on Mount Calamita, visiting the Mines or enjoying scenic walks in the island's hinterland.

Marina di Campo

Located in the south of the island, Marina di Campo is one of the most beautiful places on the island of Elba.
The town is located on the sea, has a very long beach of more than a kilometer, wide, spacious, ideal for children because the seabed is shallow: in some stretches, you can even walk in the water for several meters.
There are both free and equipped beaches in Marina di Campo, with numerous restaurants and bars nearby.
For children who like to visit aquariums, the Marina di Campo Aquarium, which has more than 80 tanks and more than 150 species of aquatic animals including starfish, crustaceans, and the ever-present turtles.
In the evenings, all waterfront stores stay open!!!

Cavoli beach

A few kilometers from Marina di Campo is the renowned Cavoli beach, a small resort located in an inlet of the island. Surrounded by typical "macchia mediterranea" vegetation, Cavoli beach has grainy sand, the seabed slopes gradually and the water is really transparent. Cavoli beach has some bathing establishments and other areas of free beach.
The area has a special microclimate, mild even on windy days.
In Cavoli you can rent pedal boats or small boats to reach the nearby Blue Cave, a cave inside which the water colors the rock crystal blue.

Attention: because Cavoli beach is among the most famous on the island, very popular in high season, in the middle of summer it is quite difficult to find parking, even for a fee.

From Cavoli starts a SUP tour of some of the island's beaches, also perfect for children SUP tours on Elba Island

The beach of Cavoli

Fetovaia beach

Fetovaia beach is located in a picturesque position between two very long headlands and is surrounded by the typical vegetation of the "macchia mediterranea".
The beach of Fetovaia is sandy, almost 500 meters long, in the middle of summer it can be very crowded. The beach is occupied by bathing establishments with good restaurants and bars, and they rent pedal boats so you can spend a nice afternoon with the children in the clear sea of Fetovaia. Both yachts and yachts often dock in the resort.

Near Fetovaia beach there is plenty of parking availability (including guarded).

The Pianosa Island

The island of Pianosa is one of the most beautiful islands in the Tuscan Archipelago because of its beaches and unspoiled nature that has been preserved thanks to the scarce presence of human activities. The island once housed a prison that is now no longer active, so over the years access to the island and fishing have been restricted.
Even now there are few daily departures to the island, but it is worth a visit to see fantastic beaches and rich biodiversity.

Information and tips for an holiday on Elba Island

Here are some practical tips and information that may be useful for parents to better plan a holiday on Elba Island:

• Elba Island is a tourist destination that is convenient to reach; in fact, ferries arrive and depart from the island every hour. From Piombino-it only takes about an hour by boat.
  Here you can find schedules and you can book ferries directferries;
• to get around within Elba the best means is by car, as the various places to visit are within short distances of each other and traveling independently gives you maximum freedom;
• the locals are very friendly and attentive to tourists: ask for whatever information you need, even to discover particular activities or coves;
• the island of Elba can be called a "family-friendly" place:, especially in June and July it is not very crowded and has beautiful beaches to enjoy quietly with children.

See : Family Hotels and resorts in Elba for children